The influence on serum protein concentration of the protein intake in high-carbohydrate diets

Abstract

1. Healthy young men ate diets high in carbohydrate with a fixed protein content: (a) 18% protein with maize starch, (b) 18% protein with sucrose, (c) 9% protein with sucrose. Sucrose or starch was given at a level of 7 g/kg body-weight per day.2. The serum albumin concentration fell by 7–10% after 16 days with all three diets; the falls were statistically significant. No change in γ-globulin concentration was seen with the 18% protein diets. With the 9% protein diet there was a significant increase in this fraction. The β-globulin concentration rose significantly with the diet containing 18% protein with sucrose but there was no change in this fraction with the other diets. α1- and α2-globulins rose significantly with the diet containing 18% protein with sucrose but no increase in these fractions was seen on the other diets.3. Possible mechanisms concerned in the production of these changes are discussed.